2012 Alumni Service Award Recipient

When Nancy Lewis, PharmD’81, MPH, graduated from the College in 1981, Professor Eddie Boyd, PharmD, advised her to work in the community because: “that’s where people need you.” His advice has guided her career decisions ever since. Lewis has developed and evaluated pharmacist-provided care programs in community settings with an emphasis on health care for the medically underserved. In partnership with pharmacists, pharmacies, employers, government agencies, community service organizations, and academic colleagues, she has created and directed statewide pharmacist care programs in diabetes, smoking cessation, and medication management, and implemented pharmacist- provided patient services in underserved urban areas. These programs were unique in that each provided pharmacist compensation for patient services.

Through a Federal HRSA grant, she helped establish the first clinical pharmacist position within a Detroit federally qualified health center. Lewis has taught at Wayne State University, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, and U-M; and directed of one of the nation’s first community pharmacy residency programs.

Today, she works with community-based healthcare coalitions in Detroit to improve access to affordable, high quality care. She also has been a consultant on pharmacy and public health issues to community service organizations, state pharmacy associations, pharmaceutical research and manufacturing companies, health plans, and state and national government agencies. In 2001, she received the Bowl of Hygeia Award for Outstanding Community Service in Pharmacy and, in 2004, received the Distinguished Person of the Year Award from Pharmacists Planning Service Inc.